Switch for pneumatic-despatch tubes



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. F. PIKE.

SWITCH FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE/S.

No. 567,654. Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

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J7 i ii 5 in 1 w w m I E D 3 V l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

0.7 P. PIKE. SWITCH FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBES. No. 567,654.

Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A 0. P. PIKE. SWITCH FOR PNEUMATIG DESPATOH TUBES.

-N0. 567,654. Patented Sept. 15,1896.

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G. P. PIKE. SWITCH FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATOH TUBES. No. 567,654. PatentedSept. 15, 1896.-

NITED STATES PATENTS OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH FOR PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,654, datedSeptember 15, 1896.

Application filed May 31,1895. seinino. 551,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented "certain new and useful Improvements inSwitches for Pneumatic-Despatch Tubes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to carrier-diverting switches and theiractuating mechanism at the junction of main and branch tubes or.

at other required places in pneumatic-despatch-tube systems and it hasfor its object a construction and arrangement of switches which admit oftheir being of a short length to effect the diverting of the carrier,and,fu rther, to actuating devices for the switches under the control ofthe traveling carriers, and, still further, to locking mechanism forholding the switches rigidly in position as the carriers pass over or bythem, which locking mechanism and their actuating devices are also underthe control of the traveling carriers.

My invention accordingly consists of the combinations, constructions,and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more particu-;

larly described in the specification, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is aplan view of junction-tubes, represented as upon a fiat surface, withswitches,trippers,and part of actuating mechanismtherefor, the tubeintended to be represented being of a form having top and bottomtrack-grooves for the end wheels of the carriers to travel in, and,furthermore, the heavy black lines showing the straight switch for themain line and the two alining trippers unset or withdrawn and the curvedswitch, represented by open lines, set or projected to divert a carrierfrom the main to branch line when traveling in the direction of arrow X.Fig. 2 is a like View showing the curved switch, indicated by the heavyblack line, unset or withdrawn and the straight switch and trippers set.Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation showing said switches and one of thetrippers and another part of their actuating mechanism and the curvedswitch set and the straight switch and trippers unset, as described forFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a like view showing curved switch unset and thestraight switch and trippers set, as described for Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional elevationshowing switches, trippers, lockingmechanism, and actuating devices therefor for the straight switch andactuating mechanism for the switches, the same showing the straightswitch set and locked. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing tripperin the branch tube for resetting switches after a carrier has beendiverted thereto, said tripper being shown depressed. Fig. 7 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 5, showing the straight switch unset and unlocked. Fig.Sis a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the tripper in branch tubeelevated. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation showing locking device for thecurved switches and part of the actuating mechanism therefor andillustrating the curved switch set and locked. Fig. 10 is a like viewshowing the curved switches unset and unlocked; and Fig. 11 is a Viewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing two trippers in the branch tube actuated bythe carriers, the additional or advanced tripper controlling theunlocking of the curved switches.

a represents the top and bottom track grooves in the main line or tubeA, and bthe corresponding grooves in the branch tube B; O, thecurvedswitches, and D the straight switches, which are located proximately atthe junction of the grooves a and I), both at the top and bottom of thetubes, and they are set and unset so as to project into or be withdrawnfrom the mainline grooves a by vertically moving them into and out ofsuitablyformed slots 0 and (1, respectively. (See more plainly Figs. 3and 4:.)

The straight switches D are normally set to keepthe main-line grooves ctopen, and they are unset and the curved switches G are set by thetraveling carriers when they are to be diverted to the branch tube B. Toone side of the straight switches D and approximately parallel to thecurved switches O and at the bottom of the tube is a tripper-bar E,located in a suitable slotc in the tube-casing A. This tripper-bar E islonger than the switches, ex-

tending in advance and to the rear of the same. (See more plainly Figs.1 and 2.) This tripper-bar E is secured to a lever e, rigidly secured toa shaft f, having suitable bear- ICO ings in brackets f, secured to thetube-casings. This shaft f extends some distance beyond the switches,and to its other end is rigidly secured an angle or bent tripper F, (seemore plainly Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive,) which projects through a slot fin to the lower-trackgroove 1) of the branch tube B. A carrier passingover and depressing this tripper F unsets the curved switches and setsthe straight switches, as hereinafter described. The top and bottomstraight switches D are affixed to the inner ends of corresponding topand bottom levers c and 6, respectively, the lever 6 being pivoted atits outer end to a bracket 6 and the lever e secured to shaft f, asabove described, intermediate of its end.

The top and bottom curved switches 0 are secured to the inner ends ofcorresponding top and bottom levers e and 6 the lever 0 being pivoted atits outer end to a bracket 6 and lever e to a bracket 6 intermediate ofits ends. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The inner ends of the levers e and e andc and c are connected by pivoted bell-cran k levers g, and levers e ande and levers c and e have link connections g, which may be adjustable asto length, as shown, or otherwise, as desired. The effect of thisdescribed arrangement of levers for the top and bottom switches O D isthat when a carrier depresses the tripper-bar E all of said levers 6', ee, and c are actuated to withdraw or unset the straight switches D andset or project the curved switches C. as more plainly shown in Fig. 3.Vhen such movement is made, the tripper F in branchtube groove 1) isalso moved or raised by shaft f into the track-groove b, so that thecarrier diverted thereto by the setting of the curved switches meets anddepresses the said tripper F to reversely rotate or oscillate shaft f toreverse the movements of levers 6, c c and e to unset the curvedswitches O and set the straight switches D and the tripper-bar E tonormal, as illustrated in Fig. at.

Any suitable fingers, wheels, or other devices m may be suitably securedto carriers M for actuating tripper-bar E, said carriers, withdifferently-located fingers or wheels m, being shown in Figs. 3 and 4.The device m is located differently on different carriers, in order thata carrier will not depress all the differently-located tripper-barsE,but only the one at the branch tube or station for which it isdestined. The tripper F is actuated by the carrier-wheels m when it iswheel-supported, or by the carrier when it has no wheelsupports, inwhich case there are no tracktripper 7713, located in a slot h in thetubecasing A in advance of and on a line with the tripper-bar E, so thata carrier which will actuate bar E will first depress tripper 72/ andrelease the locking-dog from the straight switches, as shown in Fig. 7,before the carrier-finger m contacts with the tripper-bar E. The link72. has a reacting spring h for restoring the tripper h to normal andthe dog h to lockin g engagement with the switches D when they aresubsequently set.

WVhen it is desired to lock the curved switches after or as they are setto divert the carrier to branch tube B, a form of locking device andactuating mechanism, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, may be used, consistingof a sliding dog t' for the top and for the bottom curved switches,which dogs have reacting springs t" for sliding them into lockingengagement when the curved switches are set, as in Fig. 9. The dogs t'are each provided near their outer ends with a pin t projecting intoslotted ends of bell-crank levers The upper one of said bell-cranklevers is suitably pivoted and the lower one rigidly secured to atubular shaft 11 surrounding the shaft f, having at its opposite end arigidlysecured angled or bent tripper d in a slot in branch groove 17 inadvance of and similar to that for tripper F. (See more plainly Fig.11.) The bell-cranks t are joined by a link i", for securingsimultaneous movement of both dogs 1'. A carrier diverted to branch Bfirst depresses tripper 2' oscillating the tubular shaft 2' and movingthe bellcrank 2' secured thereto, to effect an unlocking of the dogsi(see Fig. 10) from the curved blades before said carrier reaches thetripper F to depressit to effect the unsetting of the curved switches Oand setting of the straight switches D, as hereinbefore set forth.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the switches are of shortlength and light in weight, and can therefore be controlled by thecarriers.

As it is obvious that the foregoing-described parts may be variouslychanged and differently arranged according to the various conditions ordemands of service, I do not limit myself thereto as shown anddescribed. Thus, for instance, if desired, the switches O D may beactuated by power appliances or by hand. hen the curved switches are setto steady the carrier in traveling by the same, a stud t on the castingand a finger t" on the carrier to abut or ride against said stud may beused.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure and claim byLetters Patent is- 1. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, junctionswitches composed of separate straight and curved switches, andactuating mechanism therefor under the control of the carriers.

2. I11 combination withthe main and branch tubes, separate straight andcurved switches, actuating mechanism therefor, and locking per F and theactuating mechanism for the switches, substantially as set forth.

5. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, junction-switches composed oftwo separate differently-directed switches and actuating mechanismtherefor under the control of the carrier.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

CHARLES F. PIKE. Witnesses:

THos, S. RODGERS, J OHN H. HUDsoN.

